The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Environmentalists and experts at a roundtable in the city said construction of the bridge over Gulshan-Banani Lake would create serious threat to the local environment.

Due to construction of the bridge traffic jam would not be reduced rather it would be radiated to other areas. Simultaneously water flow of the lake would be hampered, they said.

The Gulshan-Banani-Baridhara Lake is an environmentally endangered zone, which was declared by the government earlier. Construction of the bridge in this area is a serious threat to the local residents. This bridge will decrease the area of the lake and due to construction of the bridge, water movement will be hampered in future, they added.

The roundtable on 'Bad impact of Gulshan-Banani Lake to ease traffic jam and development of the lake' was held at National Press Club yesterday organised by Save Environment Movement (SEM).

Representatives of the Gulshan Society said before construction of the bridge, opinions from the local residents were not taken. They raised question about the encroachment of the lake area in the name of construction of the bridge.

Eng Inamul Haque, Director General of Water Resource Research Agency, said, "It is not right for constructing bridge after filling the lake. As a result, earth of the upper part of the lake bed will be affected and hamper the water ecosystem of the environment."

While presenting the key-note paper, Barrister Raihan Khalid said, "Construction of the bridge over the lake is contradictory for the City Development Law, Wetland Conservation Act and Environment Conservation Act. Government organisations should be aware while building the bridge over the lake and should follow those laws."

CM Murshed, former ambassador, said, "After construction of the bridge traffic jam will increase in that area."

Prof AQM Mahbub of Geography Department of Dhaka University said the Government should take long term planning to reduce traffic jam in Dhaka city and should stress on decentralisation of the city.

Eng Sheikh Md Shahidullah urged the government to control private vehicles on Dhaka city streets rather than constructing bridge over the lake.

Abu Naser Khan, Convener of SEM, moderated the meeting, while Eng Fazlul Rahman, Vice President of Gulshan Society, Moniruzzaman, convener of Zone-3 of Gulshan Society, Syed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Programme Manager of WBB Trust, among others, spoke.